A JOINT police and naval team arrested recently eight persons engaged in illegal salvaging of sunken vessels in the seawater of barangay Tambobong, Dasol in the South China Sea.

The suspects were arrested while in the shoreline of barangay Tambobong by elements of the Dasol Police, Naval Intelligence Branch, Police Provincial Office and the Regional Mobile Group 1, a belated police report said.

They were identified as Rolando de los Reyes, 23; Loreto Lozado Jr., 30; Dante Legaspi, 20; and Noel Rico, 43, all from Masinloc and Palauig town in Zambales, respectively; Ruben Almojela, 24; Alecio Hermosa, 45; and Marioneto Nepes, 20, all of Montalban, Rizal.

Confiscated from the group were four pieces of acetylene tanks, a generator set, a compressed tank, one unit of compressor, two pieces of battery, one roll of plastic hose, assorted scrap metal and 19 pieces of cut underwater reefs.

The suspects could not present any pertinent papers relative to their operations. (PNA)